History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 141

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998

USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. I > Part 141

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FREDERICK CAMP, one of the influential and popular citizens of Twin Brooks, Grant county, is a native of the Badger state, having been born in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, on the 31st of July, 1845, and being a son of Thomas and Mary (Haylett) Camp, both of whom were born and reared in England. The name was originally spelled Kemp, but as the father of the subject received no educational ad- vantages in his youth and was unable to read or

write, the name was changed to its present form after he had located in Wisconsin. The de- scendants of his brother retain the original orthog- raphy. Thomas Camp became a well-to-do farmer of Wisconsin, having settled in Wauke- sha county in 1842, while both he and his wife there passed the remainder of their lives, being persons of sterling character and commanding the high regard of all who knew them. They be- came the parents of two sons and four daugh- ters, all of whom are living excepting the younger sister, who died about 1877.

Frederick Camp was reared to the sturdy· dis- cipline of the home farm, while his educational advantages were such as were afforded in the district schools of his native county. He con- tinued to be associated with the work and man- agement of the farm until he had attained the age of twenty-two years, when he went to Mis- souri and located in Andrew county, where he was engaged in farming for four years, at the expiration of which he returned to Wisconsin and established his home in Milwaukee, where he initiated his career as a railroad man, having served three years as brakeman, while for the fol- lowing seven years he held charge of trains, in the capacity of conductor, making a record as a faithful and discriminating official. In Septem- ber, 1882, Mr. Camp came to South Dakota, and, with headquarters in Milbank, was conductor of a train on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad for the ensuing three years. He then, in July, 1885, came to what is now the thriving and attractive village of Twin Brooks, where he assisted in the erection of the first grain elevator, which is owned and conducted by the Strong & Miller Company. He had charge of the building of the elevator, and has been in charge of its operation from the time of its completion, in 1886, since which time he has never lost a day from business, a record which stands to his credit and which indicates that he has enjoyed the boon of good health. Upon coming here Mr. Camp purchased the quarter section of land on which the town is located, including the vacant lots in the town site, while he has since platted a con- siderable portion of his land, which virtually sur-

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rounds the village. In 1887 he built a substan- tial and commodious residence, upon which he has since made various improvements, making it one of the attractive homes of the village. Mr. Camp has ever manifested a deep interest in all that has touched the upbuilding and advance- ment of his home town, and his influence has been cast on the side of progress, while he has been a prominent figure in local affairs of a pub- lic nature. He is a stalwart advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and while he has served as delegate to various state and county conventions he has never been ambitious for personal preferment in an official way, finding that his business interests placed too exigent demands on his time and attention to render it consonant for him to accept office. He was one of the very active members of Order of Railroad Conductors and was a charter mem- ber of the organization of the order on the Mil- waukee division, while he assisted in the or- ganization of the order in South Dakota and was thus one of the first members in the state, hold- ing the office of deputy organizer for three years. During the memorable snowstorm of the winter of 1884 Mr. Camp started from Milbank with a gang of men to open the road through to Aber- deen, and twenty-five days were consumed in making the round trip, covering an aggregate of two hundred miles. From one hundred and fifty to two hundred men were engaged in shoveling snow all the time, and three engines were also utilized in clearing the track. Associated with several other of the progressive and public- spirited citizens of Twin Brooks, Mr. Camp was instrumental in the establishing here of the Grant County News, in 1903, and all other worthy enterprises tending to advance the in- terests of the community have received his un- qualified support.

In Menomonee, Wisconsin, on the 30th of December, 1867, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Camp to Miss Mary A. Wildish, who was born and reared in that state. She entered into eternal rest in 1873, and is survived by two chil- dren, Hattie, who is the wife of Harry Steeres, of Oconto county, Wisconsin, and Elmer C., who

married and who is engaged in business in the city of Milwaukee. On the 2d of August, 1878, Mr. Camp consummated a second mar- riage, being then united to Miss Mary Barker, who was born in Hastings, New York, and who was a resident of Wisconsin at the time of her marriage. They have no children.

NEHEMIAH G. ORDWAY, seventh terri- torial governor of Dakota, was born at Warner, New Hampshire, November 10, 1828. He had for a long time been sergeant-at-arms of the house of representatives at Washington. He came to Dakota to succeed Governor Howard in June, 1880, and continued in office four years. At the close of his terni he resided in North Dakota for a period, but soon returned to Washington where he is the owner of the Washington Market.

W. S. L. HENLEY, at present a resident of Geddes, has had a varied experience in different lines of business. For many years a farmer, he later became a dealer in real estate, lender of money and clerk in a hardware store. It is cred- itable to his ability that in all these pursuits hie achieved a fair measure of success and when the inevitable "rainy day" arrives it will not find him unprovided with the means for comfort in old age. His father, H. W. Henley, was an Indian- ian by birth and a farmer by occupation, who removed to Iowa in 1836 and lived there until his death, which occurred twelve years ago. He mar- ried a Miss Lee, at present a resident of Mis- souri, and of their eight children, all boys, five are still living.

W. S. L. Henley, one of the survivors above mentioned, was born in Scott county, Iowa, near Davenport, June 4, 1853. and spent the earlier years of his life on his father's farm. About twenty years ago he removed to Dakota and homesteaded one hundred sixty acres of land, which was subsequently doubled. Thus he was engaged in farming until 1900, when he located in Geddes and began to deal in real estate, loaning

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and selling machinery of various kinds. He buys and rents town property and, being a shrewd business man, has enjoyed a thriving patronage since his arrival in town. His political affilia- tions are with the Republican party and at present he holds the position of city treasurer of Geddes. He has held various minor offices, such as justice of the peace and member of the school board. His fraternal connections are with the Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Modern Woodmen of America. At present Mr. Henley is clerking in a hardware store at Geddes. He has a wide acquaintance over the county and is regarded as a successful man of affairs.

CHARLES FRANCIS, of Meade county, was born near New Orleans, Louisiana, on Octo- ber 22, 1837, and remained at home until he reached the age of sixteen, receiving a district- school education. Having a love for adventure and a strong desire to see some of the world, at that age he accepted employment with an exten- sive horse dealer whose bands of horses he drove across the plains from Missouri to Colorado, where he disposed of them. He made a number of trips in this way and experienced all the priva- tions and hardships incident to such occupation. having had many experiences of adventure and danger that were exciting in the extreme. He also drove horses to Central America at times, conducting a trade which was very large and profitable. When the gold excitement over the discovery of Alder Gulch in Montana broke out he joined the stampede to that prolific region and located a number of valuable claims there. From Virginia City he went north to the neighborhood of Helena with a party and became a discoverer and locator of several of the mines that afterward became famous in that section. He remained there mining and prospecting with good success until 1867. when he made a trip east, and on his return in 1868 located at Fort Thompson, where he had charge of the distribution of government cattle and supplies to the Indians. He spoke the language of the natives fluently and was well

adapted to the work in which he was engaged. He was well acquainted with Father De Smet, the renowned Catholic missionary, who told him of the promise of great riches in the Black Hills. In February, 1869, in company with Judge La Moure, he came to the Hills to look over the country, and in passing through what is now the Rosebud agency he discovered gold there, but as it was against the law then to stop in the Hills they continued their journey, Mr. Francis never looking up his discoveries until 1902, thir- ty-four years later, when he made other valuable findings. On the trip in 1869 they had some rene- gade Indians with them, and these, seeing signs of other Indians in the vicinity, and being afraid of being killed in consequence of their conduct in leaving the tribes, deserted from Mr. Francis and his party while they were encamped between the White and Bad rivers, leaving them without a guide in an unexplored country with which they were wholly unfamiliar. They were obliged to discard their pack animals and make their way to Fort Thompson, which they reached about the last of March after many adventures and passing through a terrible storm. In 1870, in company with Mr. La Moure and a few others, Mr. Francis went into the northeastern corner of North Da- kota where they bought scrip from half-breed Indians and settled on land to which they after- ward got a title from the government. There Mr. Francis was occupied in the stock industry until early in 1876. He then moved to Bismarck where he got together a freighting outfit and be- gan freighting between that town and the Black Hills, being among the first to engage in this busi- ness there and running two large teams, one with oxen and the other with mules. To the manage- ment of this enterprise lie gave his whole atten- tion, making his trips mostly on horseback. He settled his family at Crook City, being one of the first to take up a residence at that place, and occupying land on Whitewood creek not far from the town, which he developed into a fine stock farm and equipped with every appliance for car- rying on its work in the best manner. He also ran a freighting outfit between Sidney, Pierre and Deadwood at times, and while doing this was

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engaged in the cattle business as well. His cus- tom was to go to Texas and buy cattle and horses and bring them to this state. In 1879 he placed cattle on the Belle Fourche, and the next year he took up land on that stream. He helped to move the effects of the first man who became a resi- dent of the present city of Sturgis, the town site being located on his ranch. Mr. Francis has interests so extensive and varied that he is kept continually on the move during the greater part of the time, but makes his home at Sturgis, where his daughter, Mrs. H. E. Perkins, resides. For a number of years he has had large interests in Arizona and New Mexico, where he owns valu- able copper mines, and down to the fall of 1902 he was heavily engaged in the stock business in South Dakota. He also has extensive mining interests in the Black Hills and is one of the di- rectors and heaviest stockholders of the Meade County Bank at Sturgis. Thus in almost every line of commercial and industrial development in the state he has been engaged, and each has felt the force of his active mind and quickening hand. He is one of the leading and most representative citizens of the commonwealth, and is held in high esteem as such by all classes of the people.

CHARLES F. RAYMOND, a representative farmer and stock grower of Davison county, is a native of the state of Illinois, having been born in Kane county, on the 5th of April, 1856, and being a son of Granville C. and Sophia (Bumpus) Raymond, to whom were born seven children, namely : Laura, Albert, Harvey, Flora, Millie, Belle and Charles F. The subject was reared on the homestead farm, and early began to assist in its cultivation, waxing strong in mind and bodily vigor under the sturdy dis- cipline, while he duly availed himself of the edu- cational advantages afforded in the common schools. He continued to be associated with agricultural pursuits in his native state until he had attained the age of twenty-seven years, when he decided to follow the sage advice of Horace Greely and "go west and grow up with the coun- try." Accordingly, in 1883, he came to what is

now the state of South Dakota and forthwith took up one hundred and sixty acres of govern- ment land in Davison county, where he has ever since made his home and to whose industrial progress he has contributed in no slight degree. In addition to general farming Mr. Raymond devotes special attention to the raising of high- grade live stock, and his herd of Hereford cattle is unexcelled in this section of the state, while he has gained a wide reputation in the raising of standard-bred horses, taking special pride and interest in this branch of his farm enterprise. Mr. Raymond is a stanch adherent of the Re- publican party and has been actively identified with the promotion of its cause in his county, while his distinctive eligibility for positions of trust and responsbility has not failed of recogni- tion, since he served as a member of the lower house of the state legislature in 1891 and in 1893 was elected to represent the thirteenth district, comprising the county of Davison, in the state senate. He acquitted himself well in both branches of the legislative body and effectively represented the interests of his constituents and of the state at large.

In Kane county, Illinois, on the 15th of Feb- ruary, 1877, Mr. Raymond was united in mar- riage to Miss Carrie Humiston, who was born in that state, being a daughter of Clark M. Humiston, and of this union have been born six children, namely : Emily I., Jesse F., Clarence, Elliott, Charles and Ethel, all of whom remain at the parental home.

GILMORE FRY was born in Freeport, Illi- nois, in June, 1863. His father, Joel Fry, was a native of Pennsylvania and in 1854 removed to Illinois, where he remained until 1869, when he started for Yankton county, South Dakota, trav- cling by stage between Sioux City. On reaching his destination he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land north of Yankton and began the development of a farm, although living in the city. He was a carpenter by trade and engaged in contracting to some extent. In 1874, however, during the grasshopper scourge he left Yankton

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and since that time has engaged in farming, own- ing and operating four hundred and eighty acres of farming land. He also has town property and has made judicious investments in real estate so that his realty holdings are valuable as well as extensive. He has also engaged in the stock business and at the present time he makes his home in Irene, South Dakota, which town was named in honor of his daughter. In early man- hood he wedded Elizabeth Forry and they be- came the parents of four children : Jemima, now deceased; Alice, the wife of W. P. Swartz, a druggist of Pueblo, Colorado ; Gilmore ; and Irene, who is the wife of H. P. Hartwell, a business man living in the town of Irene, South Dakota. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fry yet survive and are esteemed people of the community in which they reside. They hold membership in the Evangelical church, taking an active part in its work and in the cause of education Mr. Fry is deeply interested and has done effective service in its behalf as school treas- urer. His political support was given in early life to the Whig party and upon its dissolution he joined the ranks of the Republican party, of which he is a worthy representative. On this ticket he was elected to its legislature in 1895 and in the discharge of his official duties proved him- self a most loyal citizen.

Under the parental roof Gilmore Fry was reared amid the wild scenes of pioneer life in Yankton county. He was only six years of age when he arrived here. All around him was a wild unbroken prairie and it was only at long distances that pioneer liomes were to be seen. In 1895 he wedded Nettie Lawrence, a daughter of D. O. and Harriet (Branch) Lawrence. Her father, formerly a farmer and stock raiser of Minnesota, came to Yankton county about 1875 and after- ward removed to Clay county, where his death occurred in 1897. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fry have been born three children, Agnes, Alice and Willard.

In his business affairs as the years passed by Mr. Fry has prospered and he now owns five hundred acres of land, most of which is devoted to pasturage and this he rents. He is the manager

for the Atlas Elevator Company, of Minneapolis; having charge of their lumber yard and elevator business at Mission Hill. He has acted as its representative for about a year, and prior to that time he was engaged in the grain business for the Kansas City & St. Paul Company. He votes .with the Republican party and has held some school offices, yet has never been an active poli- tician in the sense of office seeking. He also has some lodge relations and he and his family be- long to the Congregational church at Mission Hill. Mr. Fry can remember when the Indians were more numerous than the white settlers in this portion of the country and as the years have advanced he has been a witness of the wonderful transformation that has occurred here and has borne his full share in the work of advancement.

FRANK M. ZIEBACH, pioneer editor, is a native of Pennsylvania, born 1830. Established the Dakotan at Yankton, June 6, 1861. Was mayor of Yankton, 1876 to 1879. Member legis- lature, 1877. Still resides at Yankton.

ABRAHAM BOYNTON, who is now living practically retired from active business in the city of Mitchell, was born at Campton, Grafton county, New Hampshire, on the 15th of Sep- tember, 1843, being a son of Pickens and Emily Ann (Gilman) Boynton, the former of whom was a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was actively engaged in ministerial work until his death, in June, 1869. at Westfield, Wisconsin. He was born at Lemington, Essex county, Vermont, in November, 1815, being a son of Abraham and Martha (Pickens) Boynton -the former of whom was born in April, 1783. in Newburyport. Massachusetts, and who served with distinction in the war of 1812, and was a member of the Vermont legislature one term and of the legislature of New Hampshire for three terms, while he was also a member of the con- stitutional convention of the latter state, in 1850. He died in Dakota territory, in 1875, and was laid to rest at Westfield, Wisconsin, to which

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place he had removed from New Hampshire in 1855. His wife passed away in 1868. Both family names have been identified with the annals of American history from the colonial epoch, and the genealogical lines are clearly and fully traced back through many generations, the date being far too voluminous for reviewing in such a work as the one at hand.

The rudimentary education of the subject was received in the public schools of New Hamp- shire, and he was about twelve years of age at the time of the family removal to Wisconsin, where he continued to attend the public schools and finally entered Brunson's Institute, at Point Bluff, that state, being a student there at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. He was pursuing the classical course but withdrew to tender his services in defense of the Union, in consequence of which he was never graduated. He worked on the home farm when not attending school, but his ambition was quickened to pre- paring himself for a broader sphere of endeavor and he spared no pains in the prosecution of his educational work during his youthful days.

On the 23d of April, 1861, Mr. Boynton en- listed in Company D, Fourth Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry, which afterward became a cav- alry regiment, and with this command he served during the entire period of the war, being mus- tered out in September, 1865. He was promoted to the position of a non-commissioned officer, later being made second lieutenant of his company and finally first lieutenant. His command was as- signed to the Army of the Gulf and he saw much hard service, participating in many of the im- portant battles which marked the progress of the great internecine conflict. After the war Mr. Boynton was elected and served four years as county superintendent of schools and continued to reside in Westfield, Wisconsin, until 1872, when he came to the territory of Dakota and located in Lincoln county, becoming one of the pioneer merchants of this section of the state, being engaged in the hardware business prin- cipally, in the town of Lennox, where he con- tinued to reside until 1887, when he was ap- pointed a railroad commissioner of the territory,

serving two years. From 1889 to 1894 he was engaged in the milling business at Elk Point, and in the latter year he removed to Mitchell, where he has since maintained his home. From 1894 to 1898 he served as register of the United States land office in this place and since that time has lived practically retired, giving a general super- vision to his various capitalistic interests. In 1898 he held the office of referee in bankruptcy, having been appointed by Judge Caland. Mr. Boynton has ever been a stalwart advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, and he has been one of its leaders both in the territory of Dakota and the state of South Dakota, having been a member of the Democratic territorial cen- tral committee for twelve years and of the state central committee for two years, while he served four years as a member of the Democratic con- gressional committee from this state. Mr. Boyn- ton became a Master Mason in 1865, and he was a charter member of Lennox Lodge, No. 35, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Lennox, being its first worshipful master. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in 1866 and has also passed the cryptic and chivalric degrees, thus complet- ing the circle of York-rite Masonry. He was a charter member of the first lodge of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows in Lennox and was the first commander of Lennox Post, No. 21, Grand Army of the Republic. He is also a charter member of Mitchell Council, U. D., Royal and Select Masters, in Mitchell, of which he was the first illustrious master, while for seven years he was an officer in the Masonic grand lodge of the territory of Dakota. At the present time he is identified with the various Masonic bodies in Mitchell, still retaining his affiliation with the Grand Army post at Lennox. Mr. Boynton is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church, he having been confirmed by Bishop Clarkson in 1876, and he is one of the valued members of St. Mary's parish, in Mitchell.

On the 12th of June, 1866, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Boynton to Miss Minnie Schultz, of Harris, Wisconsin, she being a daughter of Gottlieb and Augusta Schultz, who emigrated from Germany to the United

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States in 1861, being natives of Prussia, where they were born and reared. Abraham Albert, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Boynton, was born at Westfield, Wisconsin, on the 2d of June, 1867, and resides in Mitchell, having been for the past ten years a clerk in the United States land office in this city.

MILO EMERSON NETTLETON, a suc- cessful farmer of Lincoln county, is a native of the Hawkeye state of the Union, having been born on a farm near Shell- rock, Butler county, Iowa, on the 21st of December, 1869, and being a son of Amos and Louisa Nettleton, both of whom were born in the province of Ontario, Canada, while in the lineage are found English, Irish and Dutch strains. The ancestors in an early day emigrated from the state of New York to Ontario, Canada, and set- tled near Prescott, on the St. Lawrence river, and thence the paternal grandparents of our sub- ject removed to Ogle county, Illinois, where they took up their residence in 1855, being numbered among the pioneers of that section. There, in 1858, was solemnized the marriage of Amos Net- tleton and Louisa Hart, and they later followed the western march of civilization and immigra- tion into Iowa, where they remained until 1872, when they came to Lincoln county, South Dakota, which was then on the very frontier of civiliza- tion, and cast in their lot with the first settlers of this section, while it was theirs to endure the hardships, dangers and deprivations which marked the formative epoch of history in the great undivided territory of Dakota. The father here took up government land, and he and his wife are still residents of Lincoln county, having lived to witness the marvellous transformation which has here been wrought in the last quarter of a century, while with the development of the resources of the state they have become prosper- ous and are now enabled to pass the golden even- ing of their lives in peace and contentment and to rest from the strenuous labors which marked their early years in the territory.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 141

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 998

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998